The Sotiris Felios Collection along with “The other Arcadia” Foundation opens on Wednesday 9th March 2022 at 17.00-21.00 the exhibition “The Sotiris Felios Collection – Stefanos Daskalakis: Painting 2013 – 2021” at the art space “16 Fokionos Negri”. The exhibition, curated by Irene Orati, forms a solo show of acclaimed Greek artist Stefanos Daskalakis, presenting 25 large-scale paintings from The Sotiris Felios Collection and other private and public collections, such as The Bank of Greece, Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation’s Collection, Teloglion Foundation of Arts A.TH.U., Anthony & Asia Hadjioannou Collection and Danis Kotzaivazoglou Collection.

The exhibition is divided in two parts, the first consists of paintings created between 2004 – 2009 that belong to The Sotiris Felios Collection, and the second of works created during 2013 – 2021, the period after Stefanos Daskalakis’s big retrospective exhibition at The Benaki Museum in 2013 that belong to private and public collections. Most of his latest works have not been exhibited before.

Following a chronological approach, the exhibition reveals Stefanos Daskalakis’s artistic development, through thematics that he has had always treated: the human form and especially the female figure, the significance of the model’s placement within the studio and the appropriate “staging” of the image that is to be painted, the deep observation of reality during artistic creation, capturing light and shade and interior spaces.

As Irene Orati writes in her essay for the exhibition catalogue:

“Daskalakis does not seek an ideal beauty, he does not create impressions of “prettiness”. He uses his paintbrush to dig, always adding to the faces features that he has discerned, that he has chosen to project and, often, to highlight. Belonging here are the wonderful figures of Myrto, of Natalia, of Ioanna, of Eleni, on improvised bases –worn wooden pallets that act as unexpected pedestals – as well as several compositions on the extremely interesting and somewhat quirky face of Leonidas.”

Visiting the exhibition, viewers first discover the paintings depicting the aforementioned models, works that belong to the period 2004 – 2010 and are characterized by unspecified interior spaces, that act as backgrounds for the models, as well as the intensity of the presence of the figure. Continuing onwards viewers notice the painter’s recent shift towards a new approach in his painting and subject matter, becoming more obvious through incorporating different themes and changing his stroke imprint.

Nevertheless, the human form maintains its dominance within Stefanos Daskalakis’ works, who continues to paint exclusively from a live model, while simultaneously the aforesaid shift is becoming more visible to the viewers through the artist’s “return” to painting the interior space of his studio, but now “facing” in his paintings the challenge of incorporating natural light within his works, renewing in this way his subject matter and approach.

Finally, Sotiris Felios writes in the introduction to the exhibition catalogue:

“When it comes to Stefanos Daskalakis’ painting, I often wonder if what I perceive with my eyes looking at the paintings also exists in exactly the same way beyond my perception (where I know there is “chaos”), or whether Stefanos Daskalakis provides me with a “safety zone” to explore the chaos, and to savour it, like the “round of death” at the fairs I used to go to as a child in Tripoli on August 15?”

The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated bilingual catalogue.

The talks schedule will be announced soon.

The art space “16 Fokionos Negri” has taken all necessary measures, following all guidelines for the operation of the space in compliance with the health rules designated by the government according to the instructions of EODY and the National Committee for Public Health Protection.

All visitors upon entering the space are required to wear a medical mask.